Small Cell Lung Cancer Clinical Trials 2023

What Are Small Cell Lung Cancer Clinical Trials?

Small cell lung cancer is a type of cancer in which cancer cells form in the lung tissue. This rare lung cancer is fast-growing and can affect any individual. However, it’s most often found in those with a history of smoking and using tobacco. Small cell lung cancer starts in the lung tissue but spreads to other areas, including the lymph nodes, bones, adrenal glands, liver, and brain. The two primary types of small cell lung cancer include small cell carcinoma and combined small cell carcinoma.

Why Is Small Cell Lung Cancer Being Studied Through Clinical Trials?

According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the estimated number of new lung and bronchus cancer cases for 2023 come to 236,740. This is estimated to be responsible for 21.4% of all cancer deaths in 2023. Additionally, 6% of men and women have a lifetime risk of lung and bronchus cancer.

The American Cancer Society estimates that 10-15% of all lung cancers are small cell lung cancers. This type of lung cancer grows and spreads faster than non-small cell lung cancer. In fact, 70% of patients have their small cell lung cancer spread by the time they’re diagnosed. Thus, investing in small cell lung cancer clinical trials is essential to better understand and treat the disease.

What Are the Types of Treatments Available for Small Cell Lung Cancer?

Standard treatment options for small cell lung cancer include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, laser therapy, and endoscopic stent placement. However, small cell lung cancer clinical trials are resulting in newer and more comprehensive treatment options, including targeted therapy such as targeted antibodies, immunomodulators, oncolytic virus therapy, adoptive cell therapy, etc.

What Are Some Recent Breakthrough Clinical Trials for Small Cell Lung Cancer?

Some of the latest developments in small cell lung cancer clinical trials are the following:

2019: Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors – Immunotherapy approaches aid the body’s immune system when it is fighting cancer. This study highlights potentially transformative immune checkpoint inhibitor drugs to treat small cell lung cancer. These include nivolumab, atezolizumab, pembrolizumab, and durvalumab.

2019: Drug Combination Biomarker Analysis – This clinical trial focused on the effectiveness of alisertib/paclitaxel and placebo plus paclitaxel in 28-day cycles with the end point of progression-free survival. It concluded the efficacy of alisertib/paclitaxel in patients with relapsed or refractory small cell lung cancer and identified potential predictive biomarkers of the efficacy of alisertib.

What Are Some of the Key Opinion Institutions Conducting Small Cell Lung Cancer Clinical Trial Research?

Mayo Clinic

The Mayo Clinic is a leading nonprofit medical center that provides healthcare and education and conducts research. In addition to research on many other diseases, they focus on small cell lung cancer clinical trials. These include clinical trials on different drugs, radiation therapy, immune therapy, standard chemotherapy in conjunction with drugs, whole-brain radiation therapy, and more.

Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute

Moffitt Cancer Center is a nonprofit cancer treatment and research center that focuses on a variety of clinical trials, including those on chemotherapy and drug combinations, gene therapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy. Their current small cell lung cancer clinical trials include those on prophylactic cranial irradiation and autologous tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes.

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center is dedicated to cancer treatment and research, including testing drugs, drug combinations, and diagnostic methods. Some of their current small cell lung cancer clinical trials focus on using genomics and immunotherapy for treatment.